From humble beginnings, Sayagyi U Ba Khin rose to become the first Accountant General of independent Burma in 1948. For two decades he ran government departments, often holding two or more posts simultaneously. He became a student of Saya Thetgyi in 1941 and later began teaching meditation in the office of the Accountant General. He set up the International Meditation Centre (IMC) in Yangon (Rangoon) in 1952 and while living a busy working life as a householder with a large family, he taught Vipassana to many Burmese and foreign students.